Ransier considers herself old enough to be something unique,

a real live postal antique.

She can recall the story about Ben Franklin and who told him

to go fly a kite … in the rain.

At 82 Myrna Ransier might well be the oldest US Postal

Service Letter carrier and she works right here in Auburn.

She’s been there, done that more often than most.

Coworkers think she’s amazing, an inspiration, someone they

can talk to, ask advice from. They call her “Mom.”

Yes, she was bitten by a dog. You know the one whose bite

is worse than his bark.

But monkey bitten. Not many carriers can make that claim. Myrna

managed. She delivered a package to a pet store and the monkey

went bananas.

Once an uninvited someone kept sneaking treats from her work

station. So she baked brownies with Exlax in them. The last she

heard he was no longer full of brownies.

Some say she’s ancient and should be working in the

“Dead Letter Office”

Myrna ignores such comments. She figures if you like what you’re

doing why should you have to give it up.

As for herself Ransier plans to keep delivering mail and live forever.

So far so good.

– Gerald A. McBreen, Pacific poet ;aureate